Welcome to Swan Harbor
by Flslp87
Summary: Daniel Peterson had tried and failed to unravel the mysteries surrounding Sally Miller. But, after all, what did he expect? He was the proverbial 'almost guy' who tripped over his words. 'Almost' signed a professional hockey contract. 'Almost' went to medical school. 'Almost' married. SH From the beginning, Sally Miller was wary of the emotions Danny Patterson elicited.
1. Welcome Letter

**Greetings from beyond Once Upon a Time,**

Many of you have read and enjoyed the stories I've written for the Once fandom involving Emma and Killian. After the show ended, I decided that i enjoyed writing so much; I created a fictional small town and am working my way through the stories of the residents of Swan Harbor, Maine. Out now, is my prequel to Book 1 - From Darkness into Love which comes out in a few weeks. This 17K novella is free and will give you a little insight into the type of stories I plan to tell. Currently, the plan is….

Danny Patterson and Sally Miller - Novella

Jessica Prince and Cameron Hunter - Novel - From Darkness into Love - Feb/March

Emma Foster and Killian Reade - Kittens, Puppies & Love - May

Elsa Thompson and Liam Reade - planned for August

Ava King and Finn Reade - planned for October

The Legend of Lover's Cove - This is going to be a parallel story of a pirate - Ian Jones and a princess - Anna Prince in the past and in the present Emma and Killian.

(While Emma and Killian's story has a happy-ever-after in Kittens, their stories will continue through the next few books.)

And the beauty of writing a small town is I plan to weave the characters in and out of each of the books.

**Welcome to Swan Harbo**r is the prequel to the series and can found under it's own heading.

**Book 1 of the series** -** From Darkness into Love** \- draws from the idea of Out of Darkness but the tale is of Jessica and Cameron and their journey. It is a full length novel and will be out in the next few weeks. Read on for a summary.

So read on and if you like...come follow me on the journey of Swan Harbor and the people who live there.

You can find me on Twitter, IG and tumblr at SophieBartow and on FB at Sophie Bartow - Author

I hope to hear from you soon. Sophie


	2. Story Description

**Welcome to Swan Harbor**

**A Haven of Hope for Lost Hearts.**

Daniel Patterson had tried and failed to unravel the mysteries surrounding Sally Miller. But, after all, what did he expect? He was the proverbial 'almost guy' who tripped over his words.

'Almost' signed a professional hockey contract.

'Almost' went to medical school.

'Almost' married.

**~~~SH~~~**

From the beginning, Sally Miller was wary of the emotions Danny Patterson elicited. He made her feel too much, too soon. But as time passes, she allows him close enough to see he is her kindred spirit. And his arms become her haven.

But when her past and present collide and he learns all is not as it seems, how will he react? Will Danny let go of his 'almost' status to become Sally's forever haven?


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

When the front door of Granny's Diner opened and the laughing group of men walked in, Sally didn't need to look at the clock to check the time. They were nothing if not predictable, but a quick peek showed it was 5:00 pm. Each man was special, but she only had eyes for one. After just a look, the ever-present zing of awareness when he was near sent her heart racing.

"Will you accept if he asks?" Paula, another waitress, wanted to know.

Sally grinned, "Should I?"

But she couldn't take her eyes off them as they greeted Granny, the diner owner. There was a familiarity between the older woman and the group of friends that made her envious. And that wasn't a feeling she'd allowed to enter her thoughts before…but now that it had…

Paula rolled her eyes. "You've wanted to say yes for months. Why you've held out this long..."

I have my reasons, Sally wanted to say. But just like every other time the need arose to tell someone her story, she squashed it back down. Except lately, she kept wondering if perhaps it was time to stop running. She'd been in the small town for more than a year and was making it her home. Was it possible there was some truth in Swan Harbor's motto and it really was a haven of hope for her heart?

"Go." Paula nudged hard enough that Sally had to take a step to avoid falling.

"Do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful. Just go!"

"But..."

"Sally Miller," Paula scolded. "You've told me several...hundred," she whispered under her breath, "times you are a strong independent woman. Stop making excuses and go."

"I'm going. I'm going," Sally mumbled, her heart racing even faster as she drew closer to the group. "Welcome to Granny's."

The men smiled as they slid into their usual booth.

"Hiya, Sally."

"Hi, Sally."

"How's it going, Sally?"

"Cheers, Sally."

And at last, the one she'd been preparing for, causing a mini flip in the center of her chest.

Daniel Patterson never said much, but the way he slightly elongated the S in Sally, made her feel he was caressing it.

She fought to maintain a neutral voice, turning her attention to the table at large, "How was work today, fellas?"

And as she expected, they gave her one or two words regarding their days before talk returned to the latest sports news. It didn't seem to matter whether they were discussing hockey, football, or baseball; they were intense, loud, and their opinions varied widely. But no matter who was speaking, it was always Danny who drew her attention, sometimes more often than she liked.

He differed from any other man who'd ever caught her eye. Tall, easily six-feet-five-inches, with sandy blond hair, a kind demeanor, and brown eyes that visited in her dreams. How was she supposed to continue to fight when all she wanted was to dive in and ask him to never let her go?

Sally slammed the brakes on those thoughts and pulled out her pad, "The usual?" she asked, writing their orders down from memory.

"Nuh-Nuh-Not for me," Danny replied. "I have to leave soon."

"Oh, okay." His announcement was unexpected and the last thing she'd wanted to hear, "It's not the burgers running you off, is it?" she teased, subtly trying to find out why he was leaving.

"Not today."

Danny's cryptic comment had her wondering if she'd waited too long. "Well, okay then," she grinned. "Don't be a stranger. Let me get your drinks."

**~~~SH~~~**

"What was that all about, Man?" Clint snapped the minute Sally was out of ear shot. "You've wanted to ask her out for a year."

"All three-hundred-sixty-five days of it," Sonny added tongue-in-cheek.

"More like four-hundred or …so." Danny mumbled, annoyed he'd allowed fear to hold him back, "but she might say no again."

"And this time she might say yes," Robert added. "You wait too long and you lose."

"I know," Danny sighed. "It's just that my life is—"

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Danny Boy," Sonny grumbled. "Grab the bull by the horns."

"Or in this case, the woman by the...bazookas," Charlie snickered. "She does have a nice set."

"Duh-Duh-Don't go there." Danny pointed his finger at his friend, anger rolling off him in waves. "Do not talk about her as if she were nothing..." The twinkling eyes of the man he was scolding had him clamping his jaw shut. "What the hell?"

"See, that wasn't so hard," Clint laughed. "You like her and she likes you. Look around. Ever seen so many tables of males in here at once?

Danny hated admitting it, but what Clint said was true. There were more males than usual visiting Granny's on a Thursday. And right in the midst of it all was the statuesque goddess who mesmerized him. Her blue eyes glittered with secrets, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap her raven locks around his hand and hold her close.

"Granny's is always busy in July," he tossed back at his friends, needing to move his thoughts into a safer zone. And what he'd said was true as their summer population grew substantially.

"Agreed," Robert conceded. "But Sally's smile was freer today. Her body not as tense."

Danny growled, "What were you doing looking? I can't see Ruth approving of your ogling."

"Leave my fiancée out of this. I'm a deputy. I'm trained to observe."

"Robert's got you there." Clint shrugged. "Face, it. You're just chicken."

"Bwack bwack bwack," Charlie clucked.

"You're a bunch of children." Danny shook his head and stood to leave earlier than he'd planned. "Gotta go. Captain Jack's waiting on me." And with one more glance in Sally's direction, he made his way toward the door.

When he passed several more males entering as he was leaving, the ball of dread in his gut grew. His friends were right, but he didn't want to hear their "I told you so". But there had been something different about Sally when they'd arrived. She was always friendly, except Robert's assessment of her smile and posture was spot on. Had she changed her mind about staying in town? And if so, and he asked her out, would she say yes? Of, would he forever be that 'almost guy'?

Almost drafted by the Flyers until he blew out his knee.

Almost went to medical school until his father's stroke when he had to come home to help his mother.

Almost married until he'd learned she'd only liked him because he was going to be a doctor.

And now, with the woman of his dreams in front of him, he'd run like the chicken his friends claimed.

It was exhausting being everything for everyone but always feeling it was never enough. Could he take the risk and put himself out there once more?

**~~~SH~~~**

Normally, Sally loved her job at Granny's Diner. And while it was the place in town where people came to see and be seen, even at five-eleven without shoes, there was still a touch of anonymity. Which was important when you had no desire to draw attention to yourself. Besides, on that rainy night all those months ago, it was almost as if Granny had expected her. Which made no sense. But since arriving in Swan Harbor, Sally had felt embraced by the whole town. She had come home.

But with the diner quiet, she was still fighting to keep her temper under control. The Sally Swan Harbor knew didn't yell, scream, or throw things when she was angry. She spoke in a soft, modulated voice and never had a strong opinion one way or the other.

"Damn fool man," she muttered, placing the broom in the closet and grabbing a cloth. "'Not today', he said, when I was expecting, 'go out with me.'"

Granny's gnarled, arthritic hand lay softly on hers where Sally had been wiping the same spot for who knew how long. "Danny?" the older woman murmured.

Sally clenched her fist, taking several steps away. "Yes." But she wanted to say more. Better yet, she wanted to hit...something...or someone.

"Come sit." Granny led the way to her office, pointing to an old sofa. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

Granny snorted. "Try again."

"Nothing," Sally huffed. "That's the problem. Nothing happened." She repeated in a quite and deliberate manner, as expected.

For several minutes, the only sounds were the comforting noises of the diner as they put it to rest. The ticking of an old clock, hum of the refrigerator, and creaks of the building as it settled. "I thought he would ask me out," she finally admitted, surprising herself. "I hate that I read him wrong."

"Oh, child," Granny clucked sympathetically. "You didn't read him wrong. He'll ask."

"Did you read that in your tea leaves," popped out of Sally's mouth before she could stop it. "I'm sorry, I..."

"That wasn't what I read." The little smile playing on Granny's face had Sally wondering at the double meaning. "Danny's just slow and methodical."

"Because of his stutter?"

"Oh, no," Granny denied. "His speech pattern was never the issue. He takes after his father. However, once he's made his decision, watch out."

Sally brows shot up. "For?"

"A ring," Granny chuckled, as if she knew a secret. "Once Danny's father Dean asked Terri out, barely a month passed before he'd proposed. And all without taking her to Lover's Cove."

"I'm not too worried," Sally scoffed, pushing off the sofa. "I can't see Danny Patterson asking me out anytime soon. And as for marriage, well..."

But as she left Granny behind, Sally couldn't help but think the smile on the other woman's face could only be described as knowing.

**~~~SH~~~**

When Captain Jack had asked him to work a party cruise, Danny had wanted to decline. But after everything the Captain had done for his family, he'd felt obligated to help. Except, once they were out to sea, his thoughts weren't on what he was doing, but on who he left back on shore.

He should have been at Granny's going after what he wanted and not being propositioned by scantily clad, somewhat drunk females. There had been a time when he'd enjoyed the party cruises, but those days were in the past. His heart wanted what his heart wanted, and it was time he listened.

It was late when he able to leave, but as if the decision were being made by a higher power, his feet unerringly took him by Sally's boarding house. When he arrived, she was heading up the drive, her long legs rapidly covering the distance between them.

She'd almost reached the area where he was leaning against the wall when her steps faltered. "What the hell?" he murmured, stepping away from the building to make sure she was safe.

Her movements were so fast and fluid that it didn't register he should have alerted her to his presence until he was flat on his back with her knee on his chest.

"Danny!" Sally scrambled up in one smooth motion. "I'm so sorry, but..."

The way she moved begged for him to ask questions but by the look in her eye, he knew there was no point...at least yet. "No, I'm sorry." He pushed up into a sitting position. "It was stupid of me to surprise you like that."

She said nothing for several minutes. "It was stupid." But then she smiled. "Need some help?"

Danny closed his fingers around her proffered hand and the current zipping up his arm had him taking a chance. He tugged, just hard enough for her to fall onto his lap. "There," he laughed at the mock outrage on her face. "We're even."

"What?"

"We're even," he repeated. "I fell at your feet, and now you've landed at mine."

Having her so close short-circuited his brain. The smells from the diner lingered in her hair and on her clothes, but there was an underlying scent unique to her. A little spice, a little musk, and Sally.

"I wouldn't have landed on you if you hadn't pulled me down." She scrambled up and moved back several steps. "Why are you here, Danny? It's been a long day and I'm tired."

It was late and there were several questions running through his mind starting with 'how the hell did you do that?' but the look on her face had him standing and taking several steps closer to her. "Wuh-wuh," he tripped over the W, "would you go out with me?"

His eyes dropped to admire the fit of her jeans and tight knit top before climbing back to meet hers once again. What little willpower he had left threatened to evaporate as her eyes captivated him, "Yes." Her smile chased his worries away. "I would love to go out with you."

"SSSSSunday?"

"Yes."

"Sunday, then," he agreed, a rather hopeful feeling rising inside.

"I'll look forward to it, Danny."

His name on her lips conjured an image of them kissing that seemed so real, he grabbed the banister to keep from making it true. "Me too," he whispered, not really cognizant of what he was saying. "6:00 p.m?"

"Perfect."

Danny wanted more, but quitting while ahead seemed like the right idea. "Cuh-Cuh-Can I," he glanced up the steps, "see you home?"

Sally sashayed closer, a little, mysterious smile playing along her lips. "I'm good." She trailed her hand over his chest. "I'll see you Sunday." And leaving a stream of fire from where she'd touched, began climbing toward her place.

He watched until she reached her floor before starting home. Something inside bloomed with all the possibilities he'd just been given. This time he'd fight not to be the almost guy.


End file.
